AR Fundraising News

PRNewswire: Deep Optics has raised $4M in a Series A financing round to fund the development of its image sensor-equipped glasses. The round includes strategic investor Essilor, the world leader in ophthalmic optics, Taiwan-based Atomics 14 Ventures and several private investors.

"The human eye has a natural focusing ability that degrades with age. Current multifocal glasses compensate for this degradation, but they cannot offer adaptable correction power management. The dynamic solution we're developing is actually similar to the human focusing mechanism, and so in addition to its superior lens function, should be even easier to get used to with minimal, if any, adjustment required," explained Yariv Haddad, co-founder and CEO of Deep Optics.

Deep Optics is also exploring additional applications for its adaptive electronic lens technology. Two notable applications are AR and VR systems, which are likely to benefit from the addition of adaptive optics to future models. According to Haddad, Deep Optics has already started discussions with companies in this field.

PRNewswire, GlobeNewsWire: Meanwhile, the stealth AR startup Magic Leap raises $793.5M in what might be the largest C round in Internet history. The new funding will give Magic Leap a post-money value of $4.5 billion. (Wired)

"Here at Magic Leap we are creating a new world where digital and physical realities seamlessly blend together to enable amazing new experiences. This investment will accelerate bringing our new Mixed Reality Lightfield™ experience to everyone," said Rony Abovitz, Founder, President, and CEO of Magic Leap, Inc. "We are excited to welcome Alibaba as a strategic partner to help introduce Magic Leap's breakthrough products to the over 400 million people on Alibaba's platforms."